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The National Association of REALTORS® proudly introduces Commitment to Excellence (C2EX), a program that empowers REALTORS® to demonstrate their professionalism and commitment to conducting business at the highest standards.

REALTORS® defined professionalism in this industry more than 100 years ago when they created the Code of Ethics. C2EX takes professionalism to the next level by enabling NAR members to assess their expertise in 10 (11 for brokers) elements of professionalism ranging from customer service to use of technology.

This innovative engagement tool encourages participation in all levels of the REALTOR® organization. It’s not a designation or a course. It’s not a requirement, but a benefit available to all NAR members at no additional cost.

To get started, log in to www.C2EX.realtor and take the self-assessment that measures your proficiency in each of the elements of professionalism, known as the C2EX Competencies. Based on your results, the platform will generate customized learning paths, recommend experiences, and provide tools and resources to increase your knowledge and enhance your skillsets.

Watch this video to learn more about the Commitment to Excellence program:

Be an advocate for the future of our industry. Be committed to excellence. Go to www.C2EX.realtor to get started!

C2EX Core Competencies

The Commitment to Excellence Program will develop and enhance eleven competencies that indicate a REALTOR®’s commitment to ethics, advocacy, technology, data privacy, and outstanding customer service. These REALTOR® C2EX Competencies will include the following:

Being current and knowledgeable about the laws, regulations and legislation affecting the real estate disciplines the REALTOR® engages in, and about real estate in their community generally.

Understanding the Code of Ethics is a living document, and keeping themselves informed about its duties and obligations on an ongoing basis.

Providing equal professional services to all consistent with Article 10 of the Code of Ethics.

Advocating for property ownership rights in their community, state and nation.

Acknowledging and valuing that honesty and integrity are fundamental and essential to REALTORS® being known as consumers’ trusted advisors.

Becoming and remaining proficient in the use of technology tools to provide the highest levels of service to clients, customers and the public, and facilitating cooperation by sharing accurate, current information with consumers and with other real estate professionals.

Keeping up-to-date on laws and regulations governing data privacy and data security, and taking necessary and appropriate steps to safeguard the privacy and integrity of information entrusted to them.

Committing themselves to enhancing their knowledge and skills in the real estate areas of practice they engage in on an ongoing basis.

Providing superior customer service.

Appreciating that courtesy, timely communication and cooperation are fundamental to facilitating successful real estate transactions, and to building and maintaining an impeccable professional reputation.

As a broker-owner or principal of a real estate company, being committed to creating and maintaining an environment that promotes excellent customer service consistent with these standards.

Vermont Gov. Phil Scott recently signed a bill into law that will give certain people who relocate there from another state up to $10,000 to cover moving expenses. The money is part of a grant program aimed at attracting tech workers and revitalizing the state’s aging work force. Those who take part in the program must be full-time employees who work remotely for a business based outside of Vermont, and they mu st become a full-time resident of Vermont in 2019.

“If you are working for a tech company, you’re not necessarily wedded to the office,” Sen. Michael Sirotkin of Chittenden County, which includes Burlington, Vt., told The New York Times. Vermont is in close proximity to Boston and New York, and Sirotkin, the main champion of the bill, says he hopes the incentive will attract those who want “to get out of an urban environment into a more rural environment, those who are maybe paid well and don’t want to leave their job. Hopefully, it works.”

The grant money will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis. About $125,000 will be available in 2019 for the program. Qualifying workers will receive up to $5,000 per year for two years. By 2020, the program is expected to receive up to $250,000. Applicants can start issuing requests Jan. 1.

Vermont officials announced another effort to attract more workers to the state two months ago with a Stay-to-Stay initiative. The program was launched with the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing to get tourists to relocate to the state.

Vermont has 16,000 fewer workers living in the state than in 2009, Scott says. “That’s why expanding our workforce is one of the top priorities of my administration. We must think outside the box to help more Vermonters enter the labor force and attract more working families and young professionals to Vermont.”

Other cities and states also have been trying to lure more people willing to relocate:

City officials in Hamilton, Ohio, have launched “Relocate to Hamilton,” touting $5,000 to help pay student loans.

In Grant County, Ind., civic leaders are offering $5,000 toward buying a home.

The Chamber of Commerce in North Platte, Neb., is offering up to $10,000 to move to the town for a job.

In 2016, the state of Maine launched an ad campaign called “Visit For a Week, Stay for a Lifetime” to try to get more people to call Maine home. Those who visited Maine on vacation and then moved there could be eligible to get their vacation expenses recouped.

A brand’s ability to create “positive, emotional experiences that drive customer loyalty” has a direct correlation to repeat business, according to a recent report from NewVoiceMedia. And bad service resulted in the loss of an estimated $75 billion for U.S. companies last year. “Customers want and expect more than ever before – because that’s what we have we taught them,” says customer service expert and business coach Shep Hyken.

Real estate isn’t immune. According to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2017 Profile of Buyers and Sellers, which surveyed close to 8,000 homeowners who had bought or sold in the previous year, only 12 percent used an agent that they had worked with in the past to buy or sell a home.

Customers are becoming what NewVoiceMedia calls “serial switchers,” always on the hunt for better service. “We promise our customers that we will deliver amazing service, and we may. But, whether or not we do is for the customer to judge,” Hyken says. “And, here is where that judging gets interesting. They are no longer comparing us to our competitors. They are comparing us to the best service they ever received from anyone.”

The main reasons customers switch is because they feel underappreciated, Hyken says. Making that emotional connection and staying in contact with past clients is the biggest change broker-owners and their agents can make to ensure their clients are happy and use them to buy or sell again in the future. In fact, the NewVoiceMedia report shows that 86 percent of customers who had an emotional connection with a company or someone in customer service were willing to do business with that company again.

REALTORS® Conference & Expo: Ready, Set, Go!

This is a rare opportunity to attend the REALTORS® Conference and Expo in our neck of the woods! This year’s conference will be held in Boston on Nov. 2-5! The conference is NAR’s premier event, with hundreds of exhibitors, cutting-edge technology and educational sessions, and a chance to network with REALTOR® professionals from all over the nation! This high-energy, action-packed event is a can’t miss!

What’s the secret to earning more money in real estate? Attending the 2018 REALTORS® Conference & Expo, Nov. 2-5 in Boston, MA. Attendees make two times the average real estate income, so you’ll have the chance to network with some of the most successful pros in the industry!

Everyone wants to feel appreciated, and you’re no different. You want your clients to see the value you bring to the transaction, but many real estate professionals are timid about tooting their horn to prospects and clients. You don’t want to come off as self-important, but you do want to educate customers about what you do—and most importantly, why you’re worth a commission check. Particularly in this digital age, where face-to-face communication is becoming scarcer, you might hear some of these aggravating comments:

“You made what off the sale of that home? It must be nice to ride around all day and make money.”

“I can save a lot of money if I don’t use an agent. That’s 6 percent more cash in my pocket. How hard can it be?”

“You can show me some homes, but I’m not going to sign an exclusive agreement with you. I’ll work with whoever brings me the best deal.”

“I’ll consider using you to sell my home if you’ll cut me a break on the commission.”

You know all the reasons you’re valuable, but this list is a resource you can provide customers. It’s part one of a three-part series designed to help you bust common misconceptions about your profession, drawn from our book, 31 Reasons Your Real Estate Agent Is Worth Their Commission. We’ve grouped our points into three value-building categories, beginning with knowledge.

You have better information to assess a home’s value. Homes listed with a licensed full-time real estate agent sell for nearly 26 percent more than FSBO listings—even after factoring in the agent’s commission—according to the National Association of REALTORS®’ 2017 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers. Why? Mainly because you have intimate knowledge of the local market and what price it will support. Homeowners may have an idea of what price they want to ask for, but that figure is often not in alignment with market fundamentals. You have the professional training to assess your clients’ situations and position their home to sell for maximum value.

You know where the system is broken. Full-time agents know where the traps lie in a real estate transaction. Appraisals, for example, are a big setback when they come in lower than expected. You know when it’s the product of a misinformed appraiser and when to seek a second opinion. Also, some federal regulations have put sellers at a disadvantage when it comes to appraisals, and your knowledge of how to work around them can save many deals. You go the extra mile to provide appropriate comps to appraisers, helping to shape their opinion on pricing and maintain an upward trajectory of home value.

You’re a professional dealmaker. Common sense might dictate that a professional salesperson’s talents are applicable to any industry, but nothing is farther from the truth. The average consumer can’t sell a vehicle as well as a professional car salesperson. The same goes for houses. A natural salesperson might be able to win the confidence of a buyer, but are they prepared for the next step? You can earn a client’s trust, but you also know how to handle contracts, negotiations, etc. Your clients need that expertise to keep a deal from falling through.

You’re trained to haggle for the best deal. Negotiating is generally done on the back end, when the details of the transaction come to the surface. In order to keep a deal together, you sometimes have to play hardball—especially when the opposing side drags its heels, potentially harming your client. Negotiating takes a lot of practice, which you’ve taken the time to master. It’s difficult to hone these specific skills in any other industry.

A Google search won’t teach your clients what you already know. The real estate business is a closed, esoteric system. Your customers could search online for the answers to any state or national real estate test, and it still will not give them the full knowledge you possess. Buyers and sellers might be able to glean the basics of filling out a contract—but then what? Even if they could find every answer to every possible question, how long would that take? Google is indeed an incredible gateway to knowledge, but it is no substitute for the hours, days, and years you’ve spent applying your knowledge to real-life scenarios.

You do most of the thinking for your clients. The brain is a muscle, and when muscles are overused, they get sore and need recuperation. You can supply peace of mind—literally—to your clients by handling the most taxing parts of a transaction for them. And that’s worth every penny of a commission. Your clients don’t need to tax their brains in an attempt to gain knowledge or information you already have. You can let them focus on their bottom line while you engage with those who want a piece of it.

When you make money, your clients benefit. You might make a $30,000 commission on a million-dollar home, but you don’t keep all that money to yourself. Some of it goes back to your clients in the form of rewards for loyal customers, gas and meals when taking customers out on a day of showings, not to mention marketing expenses such as MLS fees, Google ads, listing photography, signs, and open house events, all to help sellers find a buyer for their home. You put your money where your mouth is.

You’re properly trained. It’s not possible to do what you do at your skill level without the proper training it takes to understand all the nuances of the industry. Not only are you properly educated and licensed to conduct business, you are required to take continuing education courses to keep your skills in line with current trends. Would your clients make that kind of commitment?

You have an eye for what sells. Staging is a key factor in selling a home for its full value. You know which improvements or repairs will bring maximum return on investment for your clients. You keep up with home style trends in order to make a property stand out and catch buyers’ attention. You’re skilled in portraying a story with listing photos, and you know how to highlight the attributes of a home and properly address the drawbacks.

You work in an age-old industry that has weathered ups and downs. The REALTOR® brand has been around for more than 100 years, and you are carrying on a legacy of continually putting systems into place to help consumers, set industry ethics standards, and find better marketing solutions. You’re backed by industry leaders who lobby for better training and laws that protect the client from fraud. And in the end, your clients are better off because of it.

Act 250: What’s Next?
This important conference will provide insights into Vermont’s signature land development regulation, and highlight the challenges and opportunities for improvement. The event will be held on Thursday, May 24 from 8am-3:30pm at the Chase Center, Vermont Law School in South Royalton. Early-bird registration is $40 by May 3. Late registration is $50.

The conference is presented by the Vermont Planners Association, Vermont Law School, Vermont Natural Resources Council, and VTDigger.org, in collaboration with the Natural Resources Board and the Commission on Act. 250: The Next 50 Years.

Addison County has been named the healthiest place in Vermont according to the latest national survey from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute. Get the full story from the Addison County Economic Development Corp.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reassessed which areas are considered rural for several assistance programs, including federally backed loans from the Rural Housing Service. The Voice for Real Estate will walk you through how to check if your area’s status has changed.

ACBOR members made a difference by supporting the UVM Children’s Hospital during the 2018 Big Change Roundup!

The Big Change Roundup is the largest signature event for the UVM Children’s Hospital This event is an important fundraiser, but also brings the entire North Country together to help pediatric patients and their families. In 2017, the event collected and counted 2.35 tons of change. EVERY DIME makes a difference!

ACBOR members helped raise nearly $500 during this year’s event! Thanks to everyone who participated!

ACBOR members made a difference by supporting the UVM Children’s Hospital during the 2018 Big Change Roundup!

The Big Change Roundup is the largest signature event for the UVM Children’s Hospital This event is an important fundraiser, but also brings the entire North Country together to help pediatric patients and their families. In 2017, the event collected and counted 2.35 tons of change. EVERY DIME makes a difference!

ACBOR members helped raise nearly $500 during this year’s event! Thanks to everyone who participated!